Mercedes X-class review: the world's poshest pick-up?

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AMercedes pick-up truck? The idea sounds unexpected, even odd, and a bit too rough, tough and muddy-tyred for Mercedes. But less so when you remember the venerable G-Wagen off-roader, the thousands of vans Mercedes sells, and the trucks, too. It’s a marvel to marketing types that Mercedes manages to maintain its premium reputation while selling copious quantities of vehicles to taxi, van and truck drivers. But it does, and is unique for it.

Seen in this context, the new Mercedes X-class is less of a surprise. Especially as there’s a growing breed of pick-up that’s less hard-edged and more family-orientated, the so-called crew cab variety providing four doors, five seats and a dash of comfort, if at the expense of some load bed length.

The X-class is one of these, its competitors including the Volkswagen Amarok, Mitsubishi L200, Toyota Hilux, Renault Alaskan and Nissan Navara. The last two of these are part of the genesis of this new Mercedes, in fact, since all three models share a ladder-frame chassis, assorted suspension hardware and several engines and transmission combinations.

If you’re wondering how this unusual cross-breeding came about, you might remember that Renault and Nissan are part of an Alliance that has seen the two marques sharing vehicle architectures and components for the past 18 years. Nissan also has a long and successful history of making pick-ups, the project to develop the latest Navarra yielding not only a renewed Nissan, but also the Alaskan for Renault and now the X-Class for Mercedes, the German company forging a co-operative arrangement with its French and Japanese counterparts.

Inside, the X-class is a cut above your regular pick-up

Most buyers of this trio of multi-purpose beasts are unlikely to be bothered by these industrial niceties. More meaningful is Mercedes’ claim that the X-class is the world’s first premium pick-up truck. It’s not, in fact: both Cadillac and Lincoln previously offered high-end machines in the US, but not in Europe.

Never mind – the key thing is that this is a four-door pick-up that’s intended to be a cut above the competition, including the Nissan and Renault. It looks different from these two - or as different as the fairly rigid bodywork format of longish bonnet, four-door cab and rear-end load platform will allow - virtually every exterior panel being new. There’s certainly no mistaking this truck’s branding from the front, even if the sides and rear are less distinctive.

It’s more different inside, and also more familiar if you’re a Mercedes car driver; the dashboard, instruments, controls and seats are all close to the standards of a Merc saloon. Close, but arguably not close enough, as the lower section of the dashboard is made from hard, scratch-prone plastics unworthy of Mercedes’ pricey ambitions.

On the road, the X-class is sharper than you might imagine. Mercedes has sharpened the steering and uprated the suspension compared with the equivalent Nissan and Renault versions

More important, though, is how the X-class goes. Engines include a 161bhp diesel (called the X220d) and this 187bhp X250d, with a 255bhp, 542lb ft V6 diesel scheduled for mid-2018. The X220d and X250d 4Matic provide selectable four-wheel drive (the six-cylinder will have permanent all-wheel drive) and all versions have low-range gearing, with a locking rear axle differential as an option.

A brief, lightly torturing ride (for vehicle, not occupants) in an X250d undoubtedly uncovered promise. Mercedes has sharpened the steering and uprated the suspension compared with the Nissan and Renault, a cautiously spirited burst around a racing circuit uncovering decently high cornering powers despite pronounced body-roll.

Climb every mountain... above all, the X-class is a go-almost-anywhere workhorse

An off-road section revealed a robust, squeak-free demeanour, the most spectacular trial an advance along a steep bank that tilts the Mercedes sideways by 42 degrees – almost allowing you to touch the ground should you be foolish enough to lean out of the cab. It will tilt to a vertiginous 50 degrees before toppling.

More relevant to most owners will be a soothingly pliant ride over sharp-edged surfaces – bigger bumps, absent on this course, can be more of a challenge for pick-ups - comfortable seats and a great view out.

The rather clattery diesel sometimes jars, but for the most part the X-class appears to be pretty civilised, if less agile than a car. For many buyers details like this will pale in the face of the prospect of a well-finished, family pick-up truck with class.

THE FACTS

Mercedes X 250d Power

PRICE/ON SALE from £28,000 plus VAT/November

POWER/TORQUE 187bhp/N/A

TOP SPEED N/A

ACCELERATION N/A

FUEL ECONOMY N/A

CO2 EMISSIONS N/A

VED N/A

VERDICT A classier alternative to the pick-up hordes, despite much of the hardware being shared with some of them. The X-class isn't cheap, but expect to see plenty of them on the road later in the year.